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THE 


CULTIVATION  OF  THE  SPIRIT  OF  MISSIONS 

IN  OUR 

LITERARY  AND  THEOLOGICAL  INSTITUTIONS. 


The  following  paper  is  the  substance  of  an  address  delivered  to 
the  students  of  the  Theological  Institute,  East  Win^or,  Connecticut,  «?£ 
by  the  Rev.  E.  W.  Hooker,  D.  D.,  Professor  in  that  Seminary.  /L 
It  is  printed  with  the  hope  that  the  important  considerations  it  con¬ 
tains  may  be  duly  weighed  by  those  who  are  preparing  for  the  gos¬ 
pel  ministry  in  the  other  theological  seminaries  and  the  colleges  of 
our  country. 

The  expressions,  “  the  Missionary  Spirit,”  and  “the 
Spirit  of  Missions,”  have  been  much  in  use  in  the  Chris¬ 
tian  world  within  the  last  half  century.  They  describe 
that  strong,  ardent,  and  steady  interest  in  the  diffusion  of 
the  gospel,  which  the  grace  of  God  inspires  in  the  hearts 
of  his  friends ;  and  which  prompt  desires  of  good  for  a 
dying  world,  and  their  efficient  performance.  This  spirit 
had  always  existed  to  some  extent  in  the  visible  church  of 
Christ.  It  has  been  more  especially  manifested  in  some 
of  the  sons  and  daughters  of  the  church  who  have  devoted 
themselves  personally  to  the  work  of  spreading  the  gospel 
in  foreign  and  destitute  lands,  and  many  of  whom  have 
laid  down  their  lives  in  the  missionary  field. 

The  Great  Example  of  this  spirit  was  the  Son  of  God, 
who  came  on  his  divine  mission  into  this  world  “to  seek 
and  to  save  that  which  was  lost.”  Into  his  spirit  drank 
the  apostles  and  others  in  the  early  ages  of  the  church, 
who  devoted  themselves  to  the  first  propagation  of  the 

1 


2!  Cultivation  of  the 

gospel.  The  church  in  more  recent  times  has  been  hum¬ 
bly  following,  though  at  a  distance,  the  steps  of  her  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  in  the  exercise  of  this  spirit. 

The  cultivation  of  the  spirit  of  missions  is,  at  the  pre¬ 
sent  time,  a  subject  of  vital  importance  to  Christian  effi¬ 
ciency  in  the  spread  of  the  gospel.  This  is  important, 
too,  not  only  in  the  churches,  but  in  our  Colleges  and 
Theological  Seminaries,  as  the  places  for  training  young 
men  for  usefulness.  Examples  of  this  there  have  been 
which  are  eminently  instructive,  and  which  it  should  be 
our  prayer  to  see  multiplied — examples  of  young  men  who 
have  fanned  in  each  other  the  flame  of  love  to  the  souls 
of  men,  and  laid  the  foundation  of  good  which  shall  be 
lasting  as  eternity. 

The  particular  object  of  the  present  tract  is  to  offer  a 
few  suggestions  oil  the  cultivation  of  the  Spirit  of  Chris¬ 
tian  Missions  in  our  Literary  and  Theological  Institutions. 
It  should  here  be  observed  that  this  is  a  subject  for  cul¬ 
ture,  like  any  other  in  which  the  powers  of  the  mind  are 
brought  into  action,  and  the  taste  and  feelings  are  enlisted. 
If  the  spirit  of  general  literature  and  science,  or  of  taste 
and  the  fine  arts,  is  to  be  promoted  by  calling  attention  to 
them,  or  to  any  of  their  specific  departments,  so  also  is 
the  spirit  of  Christian  benevolence,  in  its  various  depart¬ 
ments  of  enterprise  and  action.  If  it  be  deemed  praise¬ 
worthy  in  young  men  to  throw  their  whole  souls  into  the 
pursuit  of  some  branch  of  knowledge;  much  more  is  it  so 
to  enlist  their  Christian  feelings  along  with  their  intellec- 
tual  energies,  in  inquiries  which  shall  lead  them  to  form 
purposes  and  to  act  upon  them,  for  the  spiritual  good  of 
the  human  race  And  it  is  delightful  to  see  that  while 
some  men  have  studied  and  travelled  and  pushed  their 
tours  of  exploration  and  research  into  various  portions  of 
the  world,  for  the  purpose  of  scientific  or  historical  dis¬ 
covery  ;  they  have  been  equalled,  if  not  exceeded,  in  en- 


3 


Spirit  of  Missions. 

ergy,  perseverance,  and  fidelity  of  pursuit,  by  many  men 
in  the  character  of  missionaries.  Science  and  the  arts 
have  been  under  obligations  to  the  missionaries  of  the 
cross,  as  well  as  to  the  more  exclusive  sons  of  science. 
While  the  former  have  had  their  eyes  upon  the  great  and 
all  commanding  object  of  propagating  the  gospel,  they 
have  been  large  contributors  to  the  interests  of  science 
and  learning. 

A  few  statements  will  show  to  what  extent  the  Ameri¬ 
can  Board  of  Commissioners  for  Foreign  Missions  has 
been  dependent  on  young  men  trained  in  our  colleges 
and  theological  seminaries,  for  planting  and  sustaining  the 
missions  under  its  care ;  and  from  these  we  can  infer  to 
what  sources  that  Board  must  look  for  its  missionaries  in 
future.  If  from  such  institutions,  mainly,  our  missiona¬ 
ries  are  to  be  expected,  how  important  is  it,  in  its  bearing, 
both  on  their  number  and  their  character,  that  the  spirit 
of  missions  should  be  sedulously  cultivated  and  fostered 
by  those  young  men  during  their  academical  and  profes¬ 
sional  studies. 

The  whole  number  of  preachers  who  have  been  or  now 
are  in  the  service  of  the  American  Board  of  Commission¬ 
ers  for  Foreign  Missions,  is  239.  The  collegiate  origin 
of  199  of  this  number  is  ascertained  as  follows.  Yale, 
27;  Amherst,  27;  Williams,  24  ;  Dartmouth,  22;  Middle- 
bury,  21  ;  Union,  15;  Bowdoin,  9;  Rutgers,  9;  Princeton, 
9;  Jefferson,  Pa.,  5;  Hamilton,  N.  Y.,  4;  Western  Re¬ 
serve,  4;  Dickinson,  3;  Ohio  University,  3;  Miami  do., 
2;  Vermont  do.,  2;  Brown  do.,  2;  North  Carolina  do.,  2; 
Harvard  do.,  1  ;  New  York  do.,  1  ;  Pennsylvania  do.,  1  ; 
Pennsylvania  College,  1  ;  Washington,  Pa.,  I  ;  Marietta, 
1  ;  Illinois,  1;  Centre,  Kentucky,  1  ;  Virginia  University,  1. 
Of  the  remaining  40  missionaries  sent  forth  by  the  Board, 
the  places  of  graduation  of  some  are  not  known,  and 
others  did  not  receive  a  college  education. 


4 


Cultivation  of  the 


Of  the  whole  number  of  missionaries  just  mentioned 
there  were  educated  at  Theological  Institutions  189,  dis¬ 
tributed  as  follows.  Andover,  91;  Princeton,  28;  Au¬ 
burn,  19;  New  Haven,  12;  Prince  Edward,  Va.,  8;  New 
Brunswick,  9;  Bangor,  7 ;  Southern,  S.  C.,  2;  Lane 
Seminary,  6;  East  Windsor,  2;  Western,  Pa.,  1;  Western 
Reserve,  2;  New  York,  2.  Of  the  remaining  50,  their 
places  of  study  are  unknown,  or  they  were  not  educated 
at  seminaries. 

With  the  facts  before  us,  that  by  far  the  largest  por¬ 
tion  of  the  missionaries  of  the  American  Board  have  come 
through  our  institutions  of  science  and  of  theology,  and 
that  our  dependence  must  be  mainly  upon  them  for  mis¬ 
sionaries  in  future,  it  is  an  interesting  inquiry,  ‘  How  can 
the  spirit  of  missions  be  cultivated  in  our  colleges  and  theo¬ 
logical  institutions  1  ’  This  question  will  be  answered  in 
a  few  suggestions  relative  to  some  of  the  principal  means. 

1.  By  establishing  and  maintaining  in  them  societies  of 
inquiry  on  the  subject  of  missions.  To  show  that  this,  as 
a  preliminary  means,  is  of  first  importance,  let  a  few  facts 
be  stated.  In  eight  of  the  colleges  which  have  been 
mentioned  as  the  places  of  the  education  of  missionaries, 
it  is  understood  that  such  societies  have  existed,  and  it  is 
hoped  they  are  still  continued,  viz  :  Yale,  Amherst,  Wil¬ 
liams,  Dartmouth,  Middlebury,  Bowdoin,  Princeton,  and 
Western  Reserve.  From  the  statement  of  the  collegiate 
origin  of  our  missionaries,  it  will  be  found  that  these  eight 
colleges  alone  have  furnished  143  of  them — considerably 
more  than  half  of  the  whole  number  of  preaching  mis¬ 
sionaries  of  this  Board. 

The  writer  is  not  informed  to  what  extent  societies  of 
inquiry  on  missions  exist  in  the  theological  institutions 
named.  He  knows  that  such  societies  exist  in  three  of 
them,  and  it  appears  that  from  those  three  alone  have  gone 
forth  121  missionaries.  It  is  presumed  that  in  some  or 
all  of  the  others  they  have  place. 


Spirit  of  Missions.  h 

These  facts  give  a  very  direct  and  impressive  answer 
to  our  question,  touching  one  of  the  means  for  pro- 
moting  the  spirit  of  missions  among  our  Christian 
young  men  in  the  colleges.  There  is  a  power  in  associa¬ 
tion  for  such  a  purpose,  which  is  of  inestimable  worth. 
Let  young  men,  then,  who  have  the  Christian  hope  in 
their  hearts,  and  who  show  the  Christian  character  in 
their  manner  of  life,  unite  their  minds  and  their  hearts  in 
contemplating  this  great  system  of  Christian  benevolence, 
MISSIONS,  on  which  so  much  of  the  hope  of  the  world 
depends.  Wherever  two  or  three  can  be  agreed  together 
touching  this  object,  as  one  for  mutual  inquiry,  conference, 
and  prayer,  let  them  be  associated  for  such  purposes. 
This  is  recommended,  not  to  those  only  who  may  have 
their  minds  directed  to  the  missionary  life  and  service  as 
their  object;  but  it  can  be  recommended  to  all  Christian 
young  men  with  an  eye  to  their  preparation  for  usefulness 
in  whatever  fields  divine  Providence  may  assign  their 
duties. 

Connected  with  the  statement  of  this  means,  it  is  im* 
portant  to  suggest  that  in  all  such  societies  there  should 
be  singleness  of  object.  The  subject  of  missions  is  in 
itself  of  such  magnitude,  and  the  field  for  research  and 
discussion  in  a  society  is  so  wide  and  exhaustless,  that 
justice  can  be  done  to  it  only  by  keeping  it  the  sole 
object  of  association.  Attention  is  particularly  called  to 
this  point  in  the  apprehension  that  in  some  instances  the 
spirit  of  missions  has  received  a  check,  in  societies  of  in¬ 
quiry,  from  the  plan  of  their  organization  being  enlarged 
to  embrace  other  subjects  besides  missions.  “  My  im¬ 
pression  is,5’  says  a  correspondent  of  the  writer,  “  that 
these  societies,  owing  in  part  perhaps  to  the  novelty  of 
the  thing  being  gone,  but  more  to  a  modification  and  ex¬ 
tension  of  their  original  plan,  embracing  more  objects, 
have  lost  much  of  their  early  power  to  promote  the  mis« 

1  * 


6 


Cultivation  of  the 

sionary  spirit.  Their  singleness  of  aim  has  gone  ;  and 
of  course  their  grand  element  of  power  for  awakening  and 
fostering  the  foreign  missionary  spirit.  I  am  quite  sure 
that  this  is  true  in  some  seminaries;  and  it  probably  is  in 
others.  This  may  be  and  probably  is  in  part  the  cause 
and  in  part  the  effect  of  the  declension  of  the  foreign  mis¬ 
sionary  spirit,  and  has  led  to  the  diminution  of  the  num¬ 
ber  of  missionary  candidates  for  some  years  past.” 

It  is  suggested  for  the  careful  and  serious  considera¬ 
tion  of  those  who  compose  societies  of  inquiry  in  our 
literary  and  theological  institutions,  whether  the  subject  of 
Christian  Missions  is  not  one  of  such  magnitude  and  im¬ 
portance  as  to  require  the  sole  attention  of  such  societies. 
It  surely  cannot  be  necessary  that  subjects  of  scientific 
and  literary  inquiry  should  be  included  ;  for  these  are 
amply  provided  for  in  other  literary  associations.  The 
writer  speaks  from  his  own  experience  and  observation,  as 
a  member  of  the  society  of  inquiry  on  the  subject  of  mis¬ 
sions  in  the  Theological  Institution  at  Andover,  in  the 
years  when  Nichols,  Fisk,  Parsons,  Temple,  Goodell, 
Spaulding,  Winslow,  and  men  of  their  character  and  spirit 
were  there.  That  society  was  then  exclusively  devoted  to 
inquiries  on  the  subject  of  missions.  There  was  found  a 
most  ample  range  for  research  on  missionary  subjects, 
such  a  range  as  to  exhibit  almost  a  new  field  of  science. 
It  was  also  found  easy  to  render  the  meetings  of  the  so¬ 
ciety  steadily  and  deeply  interesting,  through  the  presenta¬ 
tion  of  these  subjects  alone.  And  while  the  subsequent 
introduction  of  other  objects  kindred  to  missions  into  the 
plan  of  that  society  has  doubtless  had  its  advantages  ;  it 
admits  of  question  whether  it  was  wise  to  bring  into 
competition  with  so  extensive  and  important  a  subject  as 
missions  to  the  heathen,  other  subjects  of  inquiry,  although 
important  in  themselves. 

2.  The  investigation  of  subjects  which  stand  related  to 


Sjririt  of  Missions.  7 

the  prosecution  of  the  missionary  enterprise  is  another 
means  for  promoting  the  spirit  of  missions.  Those  inves¬ 
tigations  particularly  will  have  this  good  effect  which  are 
conducted  in  relation  to  different  fields  of  missions,  con¬ 
sidered  geographically,  civilly,  and  morally;  or  which  have 
for  their  object  classes  and  masses  of  men,  as  subject  to 
some  specific  and  perhaps  systematized  form  of  religious 
delusion.  Such  investigations  come  in  appropriately  in 
conducting  a  society  for  missionary  inquiry.  The  student 
who  investigates  the  history  of  Moravian  missions;  or  who 
examines  and  delineates  the  Tartar  character,  in  its 
various  features  ;  or  who  gives  a  historic  sketch  of  the 
order  of  Jesuits  ;  or  presents  a  compendious  history  of  the 
missions  to  the  Sandwich  Islands,  or  in  the  South  Seas  ; 
or  who  writes  a  moral  estimate  of  the  character  ofMartyn, 
or  of  Brainerd,  or  of  Buchanan,  or  presents  any  other  of  the 
thousand  missionary  objects  which  might  be  put  down  in 
a  catalogue,  is  in  the  way  to  cultivate  in  himself  the  spirit 
of  missions.  The  studies  of  the  mind  warm  the  affections 
of  the  heart ;  and  if  prayerfully  conducted,  will  be  sure  to 
promote  in  him  the  spirit  of  Christian  enterprise.  Con¬ 
nect  with  these  subjects  of  research  the  study  of  the  va¬ 
rious  aspects  of  society  in  different  countries,  as  influenced 
by  false  religions  ;  and  as  they  involve  human  happiness, 
the  moral,  spiritual,  social,  domestic,  and  civil  condition  of 
men  ;  and  with  these  the  manners,  customs,  laws,  govern¬ 
ment,  and  education  or  ignorance  of  the  people  of  different 
nations.  They  open  fields  for  research  bounded  only  by 
the  whole  unevangelized  world. 

While  on  this  point  let  us  speak  particularly  of  the 
study  of  the  life  of  our  Savior  and  his  Apostles,  as  they 
afford  light  on  the  methods  of  evangelical  effort  in  the 
spread  of  the  knowledge  of  the  “  great  salvation.”  While 
we  go  to  the  New  Testament  for  our  proofs  of  Christian 
doctrine  ;  our  statements  of  Christian  precepts  and  prac- 


8 


Cultivation  of  the 

tice  ;  and  for  light  on  the  great  and  interesting  subject  of 
Christian  experience  ;  and  while  we  are  interested  in  the 
records  of  sacred  history  as  such  ;  it  admits  of  question 
whether  there  has  not  been  a  deficiency  in  the  single  and 
yet  all-important  point,  the  study  of  the  spirit  and  method 
of  those  labors  which  were  performed  by  the  Lord  Jesus, 
as  he  went  about  doing  good  ;  and  by  the  apostles  and 
their  associates  when  they  went  every  where  preaching 
the  word.  In  our  interest  in  their  history  and  in  the 
great  results  of  their  labors,  and  in  our  search  for  doc¬ 
trines  and  precepts,  we  should  be  careful  to  study  and  de¬ 
fine  and  mark  out  to  ourselves  for  our  own  use,  the  de¬ 
tailed  elementary  rules  of  labor  discernible  in  the  history 
of  their  lives  and  labors. 

True  it  is,  that  in  a  comprehensive  way  may  be  stated 
a  general  and  all-pervading  principle  of  missionary  action, 
which  shall  be  understood  and  felt.  For  example  take 
that  declaration  of  Paul,  relative  to  the  spirit  of  the  apos¬ 
tolic  ministry,  “  for  the  love  of  Christ  constraineth  us.” 
This  tells  the  whole,  it  is  true;  and  nothing  can  be  added 
to  it.  But  when  Paul  said,  “I  will  glady  spend  and  be 
spent  for  you,  though  the  more  abundantly  I  love  you  the 
less  I  be  loved,”  he  comes  down  to  one  or  two  of  the 
particulars  involved  in  the  general  and  extensive  prin¬ 
ciple  of  action  stated,  viz.  a  disinterested  and  self-sacrific¬ 
ing  spirit.  This  is  only  one  out  of  many  such  particulars, 
in  examining  and  drawing  out  which  would  be  exhibited 
the  details  of  Paul’s  missionary  character.  Thus  might 
be  examined  also  the  characteristic  traits  of  the  other 
apostles  and  first  preachers  of  the  gospel.  Thus  also 
(with  reverence  we  would  speak  it)  may  be  studied  the 
elements  of  the  character  of  Heaven’s  first  and  great  Mis¬ 
sionary,  the  Lord  and  Master  of  all  true  ministers,  the 
Son  of  God.  For  in  “the  form  of  a  servant”  and  in 
“  the  likeness  of  man,”  and  “  in  fashion  as  a  man,”  and 


9 


Spirit  of  Missions , 

in  all  his  acts  while  he  fulfilled  his  ministry  on  earth,  he 
showed  what  should  be  the  spirit  of  every  man  who  would 
seek  the  salvation  of  this  wicked  world. 

3.  By  reading,  devoted  specifically  to  the  attainment  of 
a  knowlege  of  the  moral  condition  of  unevangelized 
countries.  This  book-making  age  is  an  age  in  which, 
among  various  other  classes,  those  books  are  multiplied 
which  shed  light  upon  the  condition  of  almost  every  por¬ 
tion  of  the  world.  Many  such  books  have  been  written  for 
purposes  aside  from  religion  or  benevolence  ;  and  which 
yet  repay  a  careful  perusal,  by  furnishing  much  informa¬ 
tion  such  as  a  missionary  needs  to  have  ;  and  which  may 
be  useful  to  any  Christian.  Voyages  by  sea  to  distant 
parts  of  the  earth  ;  exploring  tours  made  by  land  ;  re¬ 
searches  into  the  characters,  habits,  and  customs  of  vari¬ 
ous  races  and  nations  of  men,  and  over  which  the  mere 
acquirer  of  general  information  will  spend  profitable  and 
pleasant  hours  and  days  ;  open  to  the  Christian  student 
views  of  the  various  portions  of  the  world  which  are  in¬ 
structive,  and  show  him  where  is  to  be  done  the  work  of 
Christian  benevolence.  Every  book  of  authentic  history 
of  any  portion  of  the  world,  and  of  biography  of  the  men 
of  other  nations,  and  of  travel  and  research  among  the 
people  of  any  country,  civilized,  barbarous,  or  savage,  is 
worthy  a  place  in  a  missionary  library,  and  of  a  careful 
reading,  by  the  Christian  student.  Every  such  book  may 
furnish  motives  or  facilities  for  entering  efficiently  into  the 
missionary  work. 

In  furtherance  of  the  object  of  this  investigation  of  mis¬ 
sionary  subjects,  which  has  been  recommended  as  a  means 
for  promoting  the  spirit  of  missions,  it  is  highly  impor¬ 
tant  that  in  every  theological  seminary,  especially,  there 
should  be  founded  a  missionary  library;  and  that  Chris¬ 
tian  munificence  should  be  manifested  in  its  annual  en- 

/ 

largement.  The  successful  investigation  of  many  sub- 


10 


Cultivation  of  the 


jects  is  so  dependent  upon  the  student  having  access  to 
suitable  books,  that  it  is  a  point  of  appeal  to  be  pressed 
upon  the  wealthy  friends  of  missions  especially,  as  calling 
for  their  liberal  benefactions.  It  should  be  presented  to 
such,  by  the  members  of  societies  of  inquiry,  and  its  im¬ 
portance  shown  as  standing  related  to  the  object  of  mis¬ 
sionary  education,  and  to  the  maintaining  of  a  steady  inter¬ 
est  in  the  minds  of  our  young  men,  in  the  great  enterprise 
of  evangelizing  the  world. 

The  culture  of  the  spirit  of  devout  and  fervent  personal 
religion,  more  than  any  other  instrumentality,  ministers 
to  the  spirit  of  missions.  Look  at  the  character  of  some 
of  the  most  devoted  and  holy  men  whom  the  church  and 
the  world  have  ever  known  ;  and  while  you  admire  their 
lively  faith  as  Christians,  their  fervent  love  to  God,  their 
prayerfulness,  their  bright  example,  their  deep  and  in¬ 
structive  experience,  their  abundance  in  labors,  ask  how 
these  men  felt  respecting  the  conversion  of  the  world  and 
the  spread  of  the  gospel,  as  a  missionary  movement.  And 
facts  will  show  that  with  their  eminent  piety  stood  closely 
associated  the  spirit  of  missions.  The  very  name  of  Pres¬ 
ident  Edwards  calls  our  thoughts  to  bright  Christian 
character.  And  Edwards  had  his  heart  set  on  the  mission¬ 
ary  cause,  as  appears  especially  in  his  plea  for  united  and 
extraordinary  prayer  for  the  spread  of  the  gospel,  and  in 
his  life  of  Brainerd.  And  Brainerd’s  fervent  piety  carried 
him  into  the  missionary  field.  Martyn’s  did  the  same. 
And  Mills  could  hardly  bear  denial  of  the  privilege  of  be¬ 
ing  a  missionary.  And  Payson  panted  for  the  missionary 
work.  And  Nettleton  was  kept  from  going  forth  into  the 
field  of  foreign  missions,  only  by  the  strong  hand  of  Prov¬ 
idence,  shutting  him  up  to  a  line  of  service  to  the 
churches,  and  to  a  department  of  ministerial  work,  in 
which  we  now  discern  the  wise  direction  of  Him  who 
seeth  the  end  from  the  beginning. 


II 


Spirit  of  Missions. 

In  this  connection  let  us  be  indulged  in  speaking  of 
one,  a  female  missionary,  who  is  now,  we  doubt  not,  “cast" 
ing  her  crown  before  the  throne”  in  heaven.  Writing 
to  one  whom  she  loved,  on  preparation  for  the  missionary 
work,  she  says,  “  Although  1  am  very  far  from  setting 
myself  as  a  standard  ;  on  the  contrary,  I  am  continually 
lamenting  my  deficiencies ;  yet  I  can  say  that  if  I  have 
any  heart  for  my  work,  I  look  back  upon  the  hours  of  re¬ 
tirement  and  devotion,  which,  before  I  knew  my  destina¬ 
tion,  were  spent  in  my  own  chamber  in  my  father’s  house, 
and  when  the  beautiful  stars  were  my  only  light,  as  the 
means  of  obtaining  this  heart.”  Indeed  it  seems  true, 
that  only  as  an  attendant  upon  much  growth  in  grace  and 
large  attainments  in  fervent  Christian  devotion,  can  it  be 
expected  that  the  true  spirit  of  missions  will  have  place. 
Indeed  what  is  vital,  controlling,  practical  piety,  but  that 
love  to  God  which  makes  the  possessor  willing  to  spend 
and  be  spent  to  make  him  known  and  bring  all  men  to 
believe  and  obey  the  gospel  ? 

While  this  spirit  is  to  be  cultivated  by  Christians  in 
every  station  and  relation,  there  are  reasons  deserving 
especial  consideration  why  this  should  be  done  in  our 
Theological  Institutions. 

1.  They  are  the  proper  places  for  the  cultivation  of 
whatever  belongs  to  the  ministerial  character  in  general. 
Where  shall  it  be  done,  if  these  our  sacred  seminaries  are 
not  the  places  for  such  culture  ? 

The  ministerial  character  embraces  the  missionary 
character.  The  sacred  office  of  “  ambassador  for  Christ” 
comprehends  that  of  him  who  shall  take  his  life  in  his 
hand  and  go  ,and  “  preach  among  the  Gentiles  the  un¬ 
searchable  riches  of  Christ.”  A  collection  of  young  ser¬ 
vants  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  in  a  school  of  the  prophets,  is  not 
a  collection  of  men  called  to  the  work  of  the  ministry  ex¬ 
clusively  at  home,  and  in  a  Christian  land  :  they  are  call- 


12 


Cultivation  of  the 


ed  to  this  work  to  be  performed,  wherever,  in  this  dark 
world,  it  shall  please  “the  Master”  to  send  them.  If 
he  chooses  that  some  of  them  shall  exercise  their  minis¬ 
try  among  the  pleasant  hills  and  valleys  of  their  own  na¬ 
tive  country,  he  will  show  them  this,  by  the  pointings  of 
the  finger  of  his  Providence. 

But  to  many  a  son  of  Zion  he  may  say,  as  to  his  ser¬ 
vant  Paul,  “  Depart,  for  I  will  send  thee  far  hence  unto 
the  Gentiles.”  And  respecting  them  he  may  be  pleased 
to  foretell  and  promise,  that  “  the  wilderness  and  the 
solitary  place  shall  be  glad  for  them,  and  the  desert  shall 
rejoice  and  blossom  as  the  rose.”  He  may  design,  that  of 
this,  that  and  another  son  of  the  church,  preparing  for  the 
sacred  office,  it  shall  yet  be  said,  by  rejoicing  converts  to 
divine  grace  in  some  distant  and  dark  land  ;  “  How 
beautiful  upon  the  mountains  are  the  feet  of  him  that 
bringeth  good  tidings  ;  that  publisheth  peace  ;  that  bring- 
eth  good  tidings  of  good  ;  that  publisheth  salvation  ;  that 
saith  unto  Zion,  thy  God  reigneth.” 

2.  On  the  cultivation  of  the  missionary  spirit  in  our 
colleges  and  theological  institutions  depends  the  spirit 
and  efficiency  of  the  churches  on  this  subject.  It  is  a 
singular  fact  that  the  great  missionary  movement  which 
has  been  made  in  our  country,  and  which  has  had  such 
progress  and  success  as  at  this  day,  began  not  in  the 
churches,  but  within  the  walls  of  a  college  among  the 
mountains  of  New  England. 

The  churches  of  America  were  asleep  over  the  whole 
subject  of  foreign  missions,  till  they  were  awakened  by 
the  voices  of  a  few  young  men,  offering  themselves  to  the 
General  Association  of  Massachusetts  to  go,  and  asking  to 
be  sent  by  the  churches,  on  a  mission  to  the  heathen. 
They  had  been  communing  and  praying  over  this  subject, 
most  of  them  in  Williams  College,  and  afterwards  while 
in  their  professional  studies  at  Andover.  And  from  that 


13 


Spirit  of  Missions. 

day  to  this  the  interest  and  efforts  of  the  churches  have 
been  dependent  upon  being  incited  and  encouraged  to 
move  onward,  aye,  and  being  under  the  necessity  of  moving 
on  by  the  calls  of  devoted  missionaries,  saying  one  after 
another,  in  quick  succession,  “  Here  am  I,  send  me.” 

We  are  not  saying  that  this  is  as  it  should  be ;  for  the 
church  should  not  wait  for  her  sons  to  call  out  her  ener¬ 
gies,  but  should  emulate  and  equal  them.  We  speak  of 
what  has  been,  and  of  that  which  goes  for  the  proof  of  the 
position  upon  which  we  are  remarking.  It  will  not  there¬ 
fore  do  for  our  young  men  of  Christian  character  to  make 
their  attention  to  missionary  subjects  and  the  culture  of  a 
missionary  spirit  to  depend  upon  the  state  of  feeling  on; 
the  subject  of  missions  in  the  churches. 

The  churches  have  been,  and  still  are,  dependent,  hu¬ 
manly  speaking,  on  the  missionaries  for  this.  This  point 
is  urged  with  much  earnestness  in  the  following  extract 
of  a  letter  from  one  of  the  Secretaries  of  the  American. 
Board,  to  the  writer  of  the  present  tract. 

“  Students  in  our  theological  seminaries  we  find  are  re¬ 
fraining  from  devoting  themselves  to  the  foreign  service, 
and  perhaps  from  thinking  much  about  their  duty  in  res¬ 
pect  to  it,  on  the  alleged  ground  that  the  Christian  com¬ 
munity  do  not  furnish  adequate  funds  for  sending  out  and 
sustaining  more  missionaries;  thus  endeavoring  to  shift 
the  responsibility  from  themselves  to  those  who  are  looked 
to  for  the  pecuniary  resources.  Candidates  for  the  min¬ 
istry,  an  educated  class  training  to  be  leaders  in  the 
Lord’s  host,  may  be  expected  to  have  more  information, 
more  interest,  and  more  enterprise,  on  such  a  subject,  than 
the  mass  of  Christians.  The  foreign  missionary  spirit 
may  be  expected  to  originate  and  become  more  control¬ 
ling  in  such.  We  look  for  a  disposition  in  them  to  go, 
before  we  look  for  a  disposition  in  the  churches  to  send. 

“  The  foreign  missionary  spirit  began  in  this  country,. 

2 


14 


Cultivation  of  the 

and  in  England  too,  and  also  among  the  Moravians,  and 
perhaps  every  where  else,  with  those  who  were  themselves 
‘pressed  in  spirit  ’  to  go  to  the  heathen.  Their  determi¬ 
nation  to  go,  awakened  in  others  a  willingness  to  give 
money  and  send  them.  Subsequently,  when  funds  have 
been  deficient,  the  most  effective  argument  we  could  use 
for  increasing  the  contributions,  has  been  the  fact,  that 
missionary  candidates  were  waiting  and  desiring  to  go. 
The  history  of  the  Board  and  its  appeals  to  the  communi¬ 
ty  will  show,  that  those  appeals  when  enforced  by  the  ar¬ 
gument  that  there  are  many  missionary  candidates,  have 
been  successful.” 

It  shall  be  most  readily  admitted  that  the  churches  are 
responsible  to  their  Lord  and  Redeemer  for  their  failure 
to  have  and  exercise  the  spirit  of  missions.  But  it  is  clear 
that  candidates  for  the  sacred  office  are  out  of  their  place, 
when  behind  the  churches,  in  the  great  missionary  move¬ 
ment,  and  waiting  their  call. 

3.  The  cultivation  of  the  spirit  of  missions  in  our  theo¬ 
logical  seminaries,  by  the  means  which  have  been  sug¬ 
gested,  prepares  the  minds  of  young  men  to  dedicate  them¬ 
selves  personally  to  the  missionary  service.  This,  in 
some  of  our  schools  of  theology,  has  made  them  the  nur¬ 
series  of  missionaries ;  a  designation  most  honorable  and 
ever  to  be  coveted  by  the  guardians  and  instructors  of 
these  “  schools  of  the  prophets.” 

4.  The  cultivation  of  this  spirit  in  our  institutions  of 
theology  fits  candidates  for  the  sacred  office,  generally,  to 
be  the  more  efficient  and  devoted  preachers.  This  will 
be  so,  whether  they  shall  spend  their  lives  in  the  home- 
ministry  or  in  the  foreign  service.  The  spirit  of  missions 
is  the  true  and  proper  spirit  of  the  ministry.  In  other 
words,  that  Christian  student  who  has  the  self-denial  and 
devotion  to  the  cause  of  Christ,  and  the  unquenchable  de¬ 
sire  for  the  salvation  of  men,  which  are  the  grand  elements 


15 


Spirit  of  Missions. 

an  the  missionary  character,  will,  from  this  very  circum¬ 
stance,  be  the  better  fitted  for  the  work  of  the  ministry  in 
his  native  land. 

Here  were  some  of  the  springs  of  that  untiring  devotion 
to  the  work  of  winning  souls  to  Christ,  which  rendered 
Samuel  Pearce,  of  the  English  Baptist  communion,  one  of 
the  holiest  and  most  devoted  of  home  ministers ;  and 
which  made  Payson,  Cornelius,  and  Nettleton,  the  minis¬ 
ters  they  were.  And  other  like  cases  show  the  influence 
of  the  missionary  spirit  in  making  a  good  home  pastor. 
Let  this  be  settled  in  the  minds  and  fixed  in  the  hearts  of 
the  founders  of  our  theological  seminaries,  whether  they 
be  the  pastors  and  churches  in  their  associated  capacity, 
or  munificent  individuals^  and  fixed  also  in  the  hearts  of 
the  guardians,  trustees,  and  instructors  of  our  American 
seminaries  of  learning  and  theology  ;  that  the  prevalence 
of  the  true  spirit  of  missions  in  them  is  one  of  the  best 
securities  that  the  men  they  send  forth  will  be  such  min¬ 
isters  as  are  needed  ;  men  faithful  and  true,  ready  to 
“  spend  and  be  spent”  for  Christ  and  the  salvation  of 
souls.  If  a  candidate  for  the  sacred  office  has  a  spirit  of 
consecration  which  would  carry  him  to  the  ends  of  the 
earth  to  preach  “  Jesus  Christ  and  him  crucified  ;  ”  he 
has,  from  this  very  circumstance,  that  which  will  make 
him  so  much  the  better  minister  to  labor  in  his  own 
country,  if  Providence  assigns  his  work  here.  We  repeat 
it,  the  spirit  of  missions  is  the  true  spirit  of  the  ministry. 

It  is  not  alone  in  a  foreign  field  that  the  missionary 
spirit,  as  a  self-sacrificing  spirit,  is  needful ;  it  is  requisite 
in  almost  any  American  parish.  In  some  parishes  this 
spirit,  as  ready  “  to  bear  and  have  patience  and  for 
Christ’s  namesake  to  labor  and  not  to  faint,”  will  have  as 
severe  trials  as  in  a  heathen  land, — if  not  even  severer. 
For  example,  here  is  an  old  broken-down,  divided  Ameri¬ 
can  parish,  in  which  there  are  children  of  God  who  “sigh 


16 


Cultivation  of  the 


and  cry,”  and  are  strongly  tempted  to  say,  “  who  will 
show  us  any  good  ?  ”  and  O  my  Lord  what  will  be  the  end 
of  these  things  ?  Here  too  are  souls,  precious  as  any  on 
earth,  and  as  sure  to  perish  as  any  impenitent  men  in  all 
the  world.  They  must  not  be  neglected,  because  their 
condition  is  discouraging,  and  because  they  are  accounted 
difficult  and  unpromising  fields.  This,  with  a  minister 
possessed  of  the  spirit  of  Christ— the  true  missionary  spirit 
— will  be  the  very  reason  why  he  should  enter  that  field  of 
desolation  and  trial.  From  its  very  condition,  his  labors 
are  the  more  needed.  He  will  feel  that  they  must  not  be 
left  to  say,  “  behold  we  die,  we  perish,  we  all  perish,” 
“  no  man  careth  for  our  soul.”  Some  one,  with  the  spirit 
of  a  Martyn  or  a  Brainerd,  must  be  willing  to  go  among 
them,  and  “  spend  and  be  spent  for  them  ;  ”  and  help 
them  to  “  be  watchful  and  strengthen  the  things  that  re¬ 
main  and  that  are  ready  to  die.”  Indeed  the  whole  work 
of  the  ministry,  properly  considered,  is  missionary  work. 
No  matter  whether  it  be  in  the  cities  and  villages  of  New 
England,  or  among  its  mountains  and  valleys;  or  on  the 
prairies  and  amidst  the  forests  of  the  great  west ;  or  in 
China,  Tartary,  India,  or  on  the  islands  of  the  sea. 

Not  only  will  the  minister  who  has  cultivated  the  mis¬ 
sionary  spirit  in  himself,  be  the  better  prepared  for  the 
ordinary  labors  and  trials  of  his  office,  but  he  will  also  be 
the  minister  to  be  relied  upon  for  awakening,  strengthen¬ 
ing,  and  extending  a  missionary  spirit  among  his  own 
people  and  in  the  churches  around  him.  He  will  possess 
and  be  still  acquiring  that  knowledge  on  missionary  sub¬ 
jects  which  will  enable  him  to  instruct  and  interest  them 
at  the  concert  for  prayer,  and  in  missionary  addresses 
and  appeals.  He  will  have  that  strong  feeling  in  view  of 
a  world  dead  in  spiritual  ignorance  and  sin,  which  will 
break  forth  in  his  prayers,  and  in  his  public  and  private 
labors  among  his  people,  and  impel  him  on  to  any  meas- 


Spirit  of  Missions.  I1/ 

Wfe  of  effort,  which  his  circumstances  will  permit  him  to 
make  in  the  missionary  cause.  A  minister  will  not  long 
be  settled  over  a  church  before  it  will  be  seen,  by  the 
effect  produced  on  them,  whether  he  has  the  missionary 
spirit  or  not.  In  no  application  of  it  is  the  passage,  “Like 
people,  like  priest/’  more  true,  under  ordinary  circum¬ 
stances,  than  in  this.  The  growth  and  efficiency  of  the 
missionary  spirit  in  the  churches,  as  well  as  of  any  other 
excellence  of  Christian  character,  must  very  much  depend 
on  the  thoroughness  and  vigor  with  which  a  like  spirit 
reigns  in  the  ministry. 

5.  The  spirit  of  missions  is  also  eminently  happy  in  its 
influence  on  the  religious  habits  and  character  of  young 
men  in  our  colleges  and  theological  seminaries.  They 
will  be  heaventy-minded,  exemplary,  devout,  prayerful, 
serious,  as  Christians  in  whom  is  that  devotement  of  soul 
to  the  service  of  Christ  which  this  spirit  indicates.  The 
writer  well  remembers  '  the  spirit  of  serious,  devout, 
exemplary  piety,  which  pervaded  that  sacred  seminary 
where  Parsons  and  Fisk,  with  others  yet  living,  prepared 
for  their  work  as  missionaries.  Many  an  American  pas¬ 
tor  has  occasion  to  bless  God  that  he  enjoyed  the  privilege 
of  pursuing  his  professional  studies  in  the  midst  of  the 
sacred  spiritual  atmosphere  created  by  the  presence  and 
influence  of  such  men. 

6.  It  gives  these  our  institutions  a  powerful  hold  on  the 
affections  and  confidence  of  the  churches.  They  will 
love  and  prize  the  seats  of  theological  learning  from  which 
they  see  men  come  forth  who  are  ready  for  any  service, 
and  who  “  count  not  even  their  lives  dear  unto  them¬ 
selves,”  if  they  can  glorify  God  their  Savior  and  win  souls 
to  him. 

7.  The  spirit  of  missions  connects  these  institutions  of 
theological  education  most  directly  and  powerfully  with 
that  great  object  of  the  sacred  ministry  the  conversion  of 

2* 


18 


Cultivation  of  the 


the  whole  world  to  Christ.  The  absence  of  this  spirit 
would  be  a  reason  for  solicitude  as  to  the  permanent  use¬ 
fulness  of  any  seminary  to  the  churches.  Let  the  object 
of  any  seminary  be  simply  to  raise  up  a  home  ministry,  and 
to  keep  a  Christian  country  supplied,  and  to  maintain  all 
things  as  they  are,  without  making  advances  and  inroads 
upon  the  kingdom  of  darkness  ;  and  there  is  a  lamentable 
falling  short  of  the  high  objects  to  be  attained.  On  the 
other  hand,  let  it  be  written  upon  the  walls  of  our  theolo¬ 
gical  seminaries — consecrated  to  the  glory  of  Christ ,  in 
the  salvation  of  a  lost  world ;  and  let  all  which  is  done 
in  them,  and  the  spirit  which  governs  their  members,  be 
in  accordance  with  this  ;  and  let  every  arrangement  for 
instruction  be  adapted  to  the  preparation  of  men,  “  to 
preach  among  the  Gentiles  the  unsearchable  riches  of 
Christ;”  and  they  will  be  linked  inseparably  with  the 
great  interests  of  “  Christ  and  the  church”  of  Christ  and 
a  dying  world. 

The  subject  thus  imperfectly  sketched,  is  commended  to 
those  especially — at  whatever  stage  of  study,  collegiate  or 
professional — who  are  looking  forward  to  the  great  and 
good  work  of  the  ministry.  If  the  moral  condition  of  this 
world  is  in  any  just  measure  understood  ;  if  the  compara¬ 
tive  extent  of  the  two  kingdoms  of  light  and  darkness  is 
not  greatly  misapprehended,  then  we  are  in  a  world  where 
a  great  work  is  to  be  done.  There  is  a  solemnity  unspeak¬ 
able  attached  to  “  the  ministry  of  the  Lord  Jesus,”  which 
is  contemplated  by  some  of  the  sons  of  the  church. 

What  shall  the  ministry  be  and  do  in  the  years  which 
are  now  coming  on  ?  is  a  question  for  every  candidate  for 
the  sacred  office  to  contemplate,  on  his  knees,  and  lifting 
earnestly  the  prayer,  “  Lord  what  wilt  thou  have  me  to 
do  1  ” 

Readiness  for  any  service  which  the  Lord  and  Master 
of  ministers  may  see  good  to  appoint,  is  duty.  This  read- 


19 


Spirit  of  Missions. 

iness  must  be  sought  and  attained  in  the  assiduous  culti- 
vation  of  every  talent ;  in  making  every  practicable  attain¬ 
ment  ;  especially  in  young  men  seeking  to  be  “  strong  in 
the  grace  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus,”  and  to  have  a  spirit  of 
devotement  which  shall  say  in  relation  to  every  trial,  toil, 
suffering,  and  the  heaviest  responsibilities  which  may 
oppress  the  heart,  “  but  none  of  these  things  move  me, 
neither  count  I  my  life  dear  unto  myself,  that  I  may  finish 
my  course  with  joy  and  the  ministry  which  1  have  receiv¬ 
ed  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  to  testify  the  gospel  of  the  grace  of 
God.” 

This  wicked  world  is  continually  rising  in  its  demands 
upon  the  men  of  the  Christian  ministry.  Errors  were 
never  more  subtle  than  now  ;  nor  more  bold  ;  nor  put 
forth  with  more  effrontery  and  industry,  than  in  these  days. 
Never  has  the  work  of  the  ministry  been  a  more  arduous 
work,  whether  to  be  exercised  at  home  or  abroad  ;  in 
Christian  countries,  or  in  those  unevangelized.  The 
ministry  has  been  and  will  continue  to  be  a  work  calling 
with  increasing  emphasis  for  “  great  grace,”  for  firm¬ 
ness  that  shall  never  waver,  for  patience  which  can  never 
be  worn  out,  for  knowledge  of  truth  and  ability  to  dis¬ 
criminate  between  truth  and  error  in  the  nicest  shades, 
which  shall  guard  against  compromise  in  “jot  or  tittle;  ” 
and  for  perseverance  which  can  never  be  persuaded  to  sit 
down  either  in  indolence  or  discouragement. 

The  spirit  of  the  ministry  then  must  be  the  missionary 
spirit.  Our  young  men  will  need  to  have  this,  whether 
they  are  to  preach  the  gospel  in  New  England  or  in  New 
Holland;  among  the  hills  and  valleys  of  their  native  land, 
or  on  the  burning  plains  of  India;  in  this  land  of  Sab¬ 
baths,  Bible  classes,  Sabbath  schools,  and  religious  order, 
quiet,  and  education;  in  the  destitute  portions  of  the  Great 
West;  or  amidst  the  barbarism  of  Tartary,  or  the  savage 
state  of  Africa,  or  of  the  Islands  of  the  sea.  He  who 


$0 


Time  of  Deciding 

fears  no  being  but  God  ;  loves  not^ 
the  kingdom  and  “  work  of  Christ ;  ”  who  “  chooses 
rather  to  suffer  affliction  with  the  people  of  God,  than  to 
enjoy  the  pleasures  of  sin  fof  a  season  ;  ”  who  is  ready  to 
pass  “  through  the  fire,”  if  it  be  on  the  path  of  his  duty 
to  his  Master,  and  “  through  the  waters,”  if  needful,  to 
reach  the  requisite  point  of  honor  to  God  and  fidelity  to 
man  ;  he  will  be  best  prepared  for  the  work  of  the  minis¬ 
try  in  the  times  which  are  coming  on.  And  most  sure 
will  he  be,  so  to  do  his  work,  that  it  shall  be  said  to  him,  in 
the  last  day,  “  Well  done  good  and  faithful  servant,  enter 
thou  into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord  !  ” 


earth  as  he  loves 


fTo  the  foregoing  remarks  a  few  hints  are  appended  on  a  kindred 
topic.] 

When  should  a  candidate  for  the  ministry  decide 
whether  it  is  his  own  duty ,  or  7iot}  to  become  a  missionary 
to  the  heathen  ? 

A  common  maxim  is,  That  it  is  better  to  delay  deciding 
on  our  personal  duty  to  the  heathen,  till  near  the  close  of 
our  studies  preparatory  to  the  ministry.  The  reasons  for 
such  a  delay  are  plausible.  The  student  will  be  older  — 
his  judgment  more  matured — his  mind  better  informed  — 
the  whole  case  more  completely  before  him.  Facts,  how¬ 
ever,  show  that  conformity  to  this  maxim,  owing  to  the 
various  engagements,  solicitations,  and  other  embarrassing 
circumstances,  which  beset  a  young  man  as  he  approaches 
the  confines  of  public  life,  almost  necessarily  prevents 
altogether  any  impartial  and  thorough  examination  of  the 
question  of  personal  duty  on  this  subject.  He  remains  at 
home,  not  as  the  result  of  inquiry  and  conviction;  but  as 
a  matter  of  course,  he  having  taken  little  or  no  pains  to 


21 


to  become  a  Missionary. 

ascertain  whether  there  is  any  demand  upon  him  from 
abroad.  But  this  is  not  the  way  to  learn  our  duty  on  the 
momentous  question,  Where  is  the  field  and  the  work ,  to 
which  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  called  me  ? 

There  are  reasons  which  should  induce  every  student 
looking  forward  to  the  sacred  ministry  to  decide  early ,  in 
view  of  existing  circumstances,  whether  duty  requires  him 
to  become  a  missionary  to  the  heathen.  Some  of  them 
will  be  named. 

1.  In  college,  and  sometimes  in  the  academy,  the  stu¬ 
dent  may  enjoy  nearly  or  quite  all  the  helps  in  forming  a 
decision,  that  he  will  find  in  the  theological  seminary. 
With  a  little  pains  he  may  have  access  to  all  the  important 
books,  and  to  intelligent  and  discreet  advisers,  and  may 
gain  all  the  essential  information  respecting  the  moral 
condition  of  the  world.  There  is  not  a  principle,  and 
there  is  scarcely  a  fact,  bearing  on  the  case,  of  which  he 
may  not  obtain  as  full  possession  before,  as  after,  he  enters 
the  theological  seminary.  What  need,  then,  of  delay  ? 

2.  An  early  decision  is  desirable  in  reference  to  its 
bearing  on  the  mind  and  conscience  of  the  student. 
Whether  he  desires  to  make  advances  in  learning,  or 
grace,  he  should  aim  to  preserve  a  tranquil  mind.  He 
should  have  as  few  unsettled  and  perplexing  questions  of 
duty  as  possible.  He  should  endeavor  always  to  preserve 
peace  of  conscience,  that  he  may  have  joy  in  the  Holy 
Ghost.  When  cases  of  conscience  arise,  and  demand  a 
settlement,  he  should  endeavor  to  settle  them  thoroughly 
and  speedily. 

Let  the  inquiry  come  up  early  in  the  seminary,  if  it  has 
not  been  settled  before ;  or,  what  is  better  still,  let  it  come 
up  in  the  college ;  let  it  be  met  with  a  cheerful  determi¬ 
nation  to  examine  into  its  merits;  let  the  only  question 
be,  “  Where  will  the  Lord  have  me  go,  when  my  prepa¬ 
rations  for  the  ministry  are  completed  ?  ”  And  let  the  de- 


22 


Time  of  Deciding 


cision  be  formed  in  view  of  the  existing  indications  of 
Providence.  If  subsequently  these  indications  change,  let 
the  question  of  duty  be  reexamined. 

3.  A  student  who  decides  early  to  devote  himself  to  the 
cause  of  foreign  missions,  will  be  more  useful  to  that  cause 
during  his  studies  preparatory  to  the  ministry,  than  he 
otherwise  would  be.  Indeed,  should  he,  after  a  con¬ 
scientious  examination  of  the  subject,  decide  that  it  is  his 
duty  to  go  on  a  domestic  mission,  or  to  settle  near  his 
paternal  home,  it  is  to  be  expected  that  he  would  be  more 
active  and  efficient  in  the  cause  of  foreign  missions,  than 
while  he  holds  his  mind  in  suspense.  What  is  desirable 
is,  an  early  investigation  and  decision — no  halting  be¬ 
tween  two  opinions  —  no  shrinking  from  this  great  question 
of  duty.  There  is  no  estimating  how  desirable  it  is  that 
every  college  and  seminary  in  the  land  have  such  men 
among  its  students.  What  may  not  a  man  devoted  to 
missions  do  in  the  seven  or  eight  years  of  his  preparatory 
studies?  Had  Mills,  and  Hall,  and  Richards,  and  Fisk, 
and  others  who  might  be  named,  deferred  all  consideration 
of  the  subject  till  they  were  on  the  point  of  entering  the 
ministry,  what  a  loss  would  the  cause  have  sustained. 
Men  in  these  institutions,  who  are  not  themselves  decided 
to  be  missionaries,  will  rarely  make  vigorous  attempts  to 
persuade  others  to  devote  themselves  to  a  foreign  mission. 

4.  An  early  decision  in  favor  of  becoming  a  missionary 
to  the  heathen,  makes  a  man  more  courageous  and  cheer¬ 
ful  when  in  the  field  of  missions.  This  is  believed  to  be 
the  general  experience  of  those  missionaries,  who  came  to 
their  decision  early,  of  whom  the  number  is  considerable. 
These  early  and  thorough  examinations  and  decisions  of 
the  question  of  personal  duty  are  recollected  by  missiona¬ 
ries  in  days  of  adversity,  and  are  as  anchors  to  the  soul. 
“  It  looks  dark,”  the  missionary  says  to  himself,  “  but 
here  is  the  field  of  my  duty.  I  am  where  I  ought  to  be 


23 


to  become  a  Missionary. 

and  God  will  not  forsake  me.”  He  had  long  before  taken 
time  to  lay  a  broad  and  deep  foundation,  and  his  super- 
structure  stands.  He  went  to  the  heathen  from  no  sud¬ 
den  impulse  of  passion,  but  from  a  Jong  revolved  convic¬ 
tion  of  duty,  to  which  the  feelings  of  his  heart  and  the 
habits  of  his  mind  gradually  came  into  sweet  subserviency. 

5.  An  early  consecration  to  the  missionary  work  will 
render  a  man  more  efficient  and  useful  as  a  missionary. 
It  will  do  this  for  the  reasons  just  mentioned,  and  also  by 
the  attainments  it  will  lead  him  to  make  with  particular 
reference  to  a  mission,  while  acquiring  his  education,  and 
by  the  effect  it  will  be  likely  to  exert  on  his  intellectual 
and  moral  character.  He  will  almost  necessarily  acquire 
a  familiarity  with  the  field  of  his  contemplated  labors,  the 
character  and  condition  of  the  people,  and  the  labors  and 
trials  that  await  him,  which  will  prevent  the  disappoint¬ 
ment  and  despondency  almost  unavoidable  by  the  mission¬ 
ary  whose  mind  has  not  been  thus  familiarized  with  the 
scenes  before  him. 

6.  An  early  decision  to  be  a  missionary,  will  be  no  dis¬ 
advantage  to  a  man  who  is  providentially  prevented  from 
becoming  one.  It  will  rather  be  an  advantage.  Some  of 
the  most  devoted  ministers  in  our  churches,  once  had  a 
foreign  mission  in  view  for  a  considerable  period  of  time. 
They  did  not  go,  because  unforeseen  and  unavoidable 
occurrences  prevented,  making  it  necessary  for  them  to 
remain  in  their  own  country.  But  their  missionary  zeal 
had  become  a  habit,  and  they  carried  that  and  their 
knowledge  of  missionary  subjects  into  their  parishes, 
remembering  the  heathen  themselves,  and  not  permitting 
their  churches  to  forget  them. 

7.  An  early  and  serious  consideration  of  this  subject, 
with  a  view  to  a  speedy  decision,  either  that  it  is  or  is  not 
our  duty  to  become  missionaries,  with  an  occasional 
reconsideration  of  the  subject,  is  the  most  likely  way  of 


24  Time  of  Deciding  to  become  a  Missionary. 

avoiding  mistakes  in  regard  to  our  proper  sphere  of  labor. 
It  is  of  great  importance  to  ourselves  that  we  be  in  that 
sphere  of  labor  where  God  would  have  us  be.  How,  then, 
shall  we  avoid  mistakes  in  the  selection  of  this  field,  and 
how  shall  we  acquire  this  evidence  ?  Shall  we  do  it  by 
delaying  all  serious  thought  on  the  subject,  till  we  have 
so  little  time  left  us,  and  so  many  applications  from  differ¬ 
ent  quarters,  as  to  create  a  feverish  anxiety  in  the  mind? 
Certain  it  is,  that  not  so  many  have  gone  to  the  heathen, 
as  ought  to  have  gone,  and  therefore  some  must  have  mis¬ 
taken  the  field  of  their  duty.  How  desirable  that  they 
had  examined  more  thoroughly,  and  reflected  more  pro¬ 
foundly  !  Had  they  pursued  the  course  recommended  in 
this  article,  they  could  scarcely  have  fallen  into  such  an 
error. 

In  conclusion,  let  it  be  asked,  Whether  there  are  not 
many,  well  qualified  to  be  missionaries,  who  have  more 
fear  lest  they  should  go  without  being  sent,  than  they 
have  lest  they  shall  stay  at  home  when  they  are  com¬ 
manded  to  go  ?  To  them  I  would  put  the  question, 
Whether  the  greatest  danger  is  not  the  other  way?  What 
then,  is  here  urged  upon  the  candidate  for  the  ministry  ? 
Not  that  he  should  become  a  foreign  missionary  ;  not 
that  he  should  decide  in  favor  of  becoming  one  ;  but  that 
he  should  look  the  question  of  his  duty  in  the  face,  and 
look  at  it  early  in  his  education,  and  look  at  it  with  the 
determination  to  discover  his  duty  if  possible,  and  to  do 
his  duty.  Is  there  any  danger  in  this  course  ?  And  is 
there  any  man,  so  destitute  of  moral  courage  and  of  the 
spirit  of  obedience  to  Christ,  that  he  shrinks  from  this 
inquiry  ? 


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